Exemplary embodiments of the present invention to an arrangement for holding a first fastening element and a second fastening element on an axle element for a motor vehicle axle.
German patent document DE 198 56 706 C1 discloses a fastening of a vehicle axle on an axle suspension of a vehicle, in particular of a utility vehicle, with an element serving as a spring saddle, which is arranged on the upper side of the vehicle axle and which supports an axle spring of the axle suspension. The fastening is particularly suited for tensioning a leaf spring assembly. It comprises an element serving as a counter plate, which is arranged on the underside of the vehicle axle and on which are fastened spring clamps engaging around the vehicle axle for the pretensioned fastening of the axle spring on the vehicle axle. Provision is made of two angled parts, which each have a vertical section and a horizontal section, wherein the vertical sections are each laterally fixed on the vehicle axle in the region of a neutral axis for vertical bending loads of the vehicle axle. The horizontal section of one of the angled parts rests on top of the vehicle axle and forms or bears the spring saddle. The horizontal section of the other angled part rests on the bottom of the vehicle axle and forms or bears the counter plate.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a particularly advantageous arrangement for holding a first fastening element and a second fastening element on an axle element for an axle of a vehicle, especially of a utility vehicle.
This is achieved with an arrangement for holding a first fastening element and a second fastening element on an axle element for a motor vehicle axle.
With such an arrangement for holding a first fastening element and a second fastening element on an axle element, in particular on an axle bridge, for an axle of a motor vehicle, of a utility vehicle in particular, the first fastening element is held on the axle element. The first fastening element is thus arranged on a first side of the axle element. The first fastening element thus serves as a spring saddle, which is intended to support a spring mechanism, in particular a spring assembly, of the axle. In other words the first fastening element is used for supporting the spring mechanism on the axle element (axle bridge).
The second fastening element is arranged on a second side of the axle element facing away from the first side. The second fastening element serves as a counter plate, which is used to support at least one bracket engaging around the axle element and intended for fastening the spring mechanism on the axle element. Thus, the second fastening element is also held on the axle element. Obviously a holding arrangement is also achievable by means of just one fastening means, for example by means of a holding bracket engaging around the axle element.
According to the invention, at least one of the fastening elements is joined to the axle element by means of at least one welding rivet. Preferably the second fastening element (counter plate) is joined to the axle element by means of at least one welding rivet. A desired positioning of the second fastening element relative to the axle element is thereby achieved prior to the mounting of the spring mechanism on the axle element and also prior to the mounting of the axle element on the motor vehicle. This precise alignment of the second fastening element relative to the axle element also permits an expedient and cost-effective mounting of both the bracket and the spring mechanism, since the second fastening element has already been positioned and thus no effort is required for aligning or holding the second element during assembly.
Another advantage of the connection of the second fastening element to the axle element by the joining with the at least one welding rivet is that doing so prevents an undesired shifting out of place of the second fastening means, the bracket, and the spring mechanism and thus an undesired movement thereof relative to the axle element before the spring mechanism is finally fixed via the at least one bracket on the second fastening element and via the latter on the axle element. This fixing is achieved, for example, by tightening at least one screw element to a predetermined torque.
Preferably at least two welding rivets are provided, by means of which the second fastening means is joined to the axle element. The second fastening element can thus be aligned and positioned very precisely, accurately, and clearly relative to the axle element. Furthermore, an undesired relative movement of the second fastening element in relation to the axle element, in particular during the mounting of the spring mechanism and/or of the bracket, is avoided. Provision can easily be made of a different, in particular of a greater number of welding rivets for joining the second fastening element to the axle element.
As a bracket, preference is given to using a spring clamp, which serves for the pretensioned fastening of the axle mechanism (spring assembly) to the axle element (axle bridge) via the second fastening element.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the at least one welding rivet is arranged on the second side. Provision can thus be made such that the welding rivet, at least in regions, is received in respective receiving openings arranged on the second side of the axle element and in corresponding receiving openings of the second fastening element. This keeps the weight of the holding arrangement of the invention especially light, since the second fastening element does not have to engage around the axle element on at least one other side and does not have to extend, for example, to the neutral axis of the axle element in order to weld, for instance, the second fastening element to the axle element at least close to the neutral axis. It is thus possible to use less material to form the second fastening element, thus resulting in a light weight of said second fastening element.
With the holding arrangement of the invention it is furthermore possible to configure the second element as, for example, a cast component and/or as a forged component, which keeps the weight of the second fastening element and thus of the entire holding arrangement of the invention within a particularly low range. It is likewise possible to use hard-to-weld material for the second fastening element, thereby enabling, for example, sound proofing. Hence the holding arrangement of the invention has particularly advantageous noise characteristics.
In another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first fastening element (spring saddle) is also joined to the axle element by means of at least one other welding rivet. Thus, the first fastening element can also be aligned relative to and fastened to the axle element in a particularly advantageous manner in order to prevent an unwanted relative movement of the first fastening element in relation to the axle element. Hence all of the embodiments and advantages described with regard to the second fastening element also apply to the first fastening element.
In the design it is likewise possible to space the first fastening element and/or connection zones of the first fastening element and of the axle element relatively far from the neutral axis thereof such that the first fastening element can also be configured with relatively compact dimensions. This keeps the amount of material used to produce the first fastening element and hence the weight thereof especially low, thus resulting in a light weight of the holding arrangement of the invention as a whole. The holding arrangement of the invention can also be used with an air suspension as the spring mechanism or with any other suspension mechanism.
A particular advantage of the holding arrangement of the invention resides in the fact that the joining of the first and/or of the second fastening means to the axle element by means of the at least one welding rivet in each case allows an almost unlimited selection of parts to be joined, which can be used for both cost and function optimization. Hence difficult-to-weld and non-weldable materials can also be used for the first and/or for the second fastening element and still be joined to the axle element such that the first and/or the second fastening element can be fastened to and aligned relative to the axle element. As has already been indicated, it is thus possible to use materials for achieving a noise decoupling effect such that, for example, an axle drive of the axle can be connected to the chassis of the vehicle via the axle element in at least an essentially sound-proof manner. This conveys particularly advantageous noise characteristics of the motor vehicle.
Furthermore, the axle element can also be painted underneath the fastening elements, since for example with very little effort, for instance by means of a drill, welding preparations can be made after painting in order to join the fastening parts or at least the second fastening part to the axle element after said painting. Since only relatively small welding surfaces are needed for the joining technique with the welding rivet, this is advantageously the case.
Other advantages, features, and details of the invention will emerge from the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawing. The features and combinations of features initially mentioned in the description as well as the features and combinations of features subsequently mentioned in the description of the figures and/or illustrated in just the figures can not only be used in each specified combination but also in other combinations or independently without exceeding the scope of the invention. Use of the holding arrangement of the invention is not limited to motor vehicles.